Nick Looman, left, proposes to his girlfriend, Krista Veal, during a "fake" engagement commercial that turned out to be their real wedding proposal outside the Grand Rapids Art Museum on Dec. 15, 2012. Also pictured are Andew Manion and Austin Radebaugh, Looman's friends who acted as "film crew" for the commercial.Courtesy photo

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Krista Veal thought she was acting out scenes for a local jewelry store’s engagement commercial filmed earlier this month. But little did she know it was her own engagement being captured on film – all staged by her boyfriend, now fiancé.

Veal’s boyfriend, Nick Looman, 26, wanted the moment when he would drop down on one knee and propose to be perfect. He also wanted to capture that life-promising event on film.

The couple, who went to Northview High School together and have been dating for six months, looked at engagement rings at Herkner Jewelers in Grand Rapids in October.

After they left the jewelers, the store’s owner – an acquaintance of Looman -- followed them to a nearby coffee shop where he asked if they would act in a wedding engagement commercial for the store.

Veal, excited about the opportunity, obliged – unbeknownst to her that the commercial would inevitably be capturing her own proposal.

“He did a great job acting surprised,” Veal, 27, said of her fiancé.

Looman enlisted the help of some friends whom Veal had not yet met to carry out the roles of director, cameramen and soundmen.

Two months later, the couple filled out what looked like legitimate legal documents that Looman wrote up for the Dec. 15 commercial filming.

While the script Looman had written for the commercial – and his proposal – called for a snowy, wintry day in Grand Rapids, Mother Nature brought them rain. The day before filming, Looman had to re-write the entire script in order to incorporate the rainy weather.

On Dec. 15, the day of the commercial shoot, Looman and Veal spent about four hours filming at 10 sites throughout downtown Grand Rapids, including Rosa Parks Circle, San Chez Bistro, Nourish Market and LaFontsee Gallery.

“All the while, Krista believing this was for a real commercial,” Looman said.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum was their last stop where the proposal would take place.

Veal and Looman stood under the GRAM’s large overhang as the couple went through about five takes of the proposal for the commercial. As the video cameras continued rolling, Looman changed out the fake proposal script and recited one he wrote for Krista. He then swapped out the rings they were going to use for the commercial, and presented one to her tailored to her liking as he got down on one knee, asking for her hand in marriage.

“It was extremely overwhelming, but she was so excited,” Looman said. “And she said ‘yes.’”

“At the end of the day, I got engaged and I am elated about that,” Veal said.

But the surprise didn’t end with the “real” proposal.

Earlier in the day, Looman posted on Facebook about his proposal plans and asked if anyone wanted to join in the surprise to show up and hide by the GRAM until after the proposal.

Looman was even able to get his fiancé’s phone away from her that day – so she couldn’t check Facebook -- by telling her he was going to get the screen fixed.

After Looman’s proposal, about 40 family and friends surprised Veal as they came out from around the corner of the GRAM to congratulate the newly-engaged couple. The group then sent about 200 balloons into the sky with a tag that read, "Tell the world! Krista and Nick are engaged!”

“It was extremely exciting to see so many people there smiling, laughing and clapping for us,” Looman said. “It was really cool to see that much support from our family and friends cheering us on.”

Veal said she is amazed by the detailed plans her fiancé and friends arranged in order to create a lasting memory they’ll be able to look back on and watch for years to come.

“I feel extremely blessed,” she said. “It just makes us feel extremely loved that all these people came together to make this happen.”

The couple has not yet set a date for their wedding, but are planning to get married this summer, they said.